


From Things Of Long Ago

by Celpar



Series: The Oqtais of Tawaikai [1]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice (Comics), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:13:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24089449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celpar/pseuds/Celpar
Summary: Nustika didn't wish to return as quickly as they did. They wished to rest for a couple more years before reincarnating after what had occurred in their last life. However, the nagging thought that Teouka, the elua to the Bold of Liquid Flame and Takehe, the elua to the Persistent of Demising Heat were both living and bonded to another Oqtai was the reason Nustika reincarnated into the body of a girl given the name Demetria Avra Argyris from the Greek city of Thessaloniki.And not until, at the age of eleven, when the Attack on Thessaloniki occurred was Demetria and Nustika found by Pipso, the elua to the Faithfull of Ocean Fire Oqtai. Who gave the young girl a choice to become his and Vaiwa, the elua to the Diligent of Pure Fury Oqtai protégé and train her to be a Tawaiki Oqtai.Train her to become Smokescreen and aid in the protection of Earth alongside the rising Heroes.
Relationships: Artemis Crock/Wally West, Dick Grayson/Original Character(s), Jason Todd/Original Character(s), Kon-El | Conner Kent/M'gann M'orzz
Series: The Oqtais of Tawaikai [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1747789





	1. The Water Froze Over In July

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it, guys.

**Goldlyn City, The Goldlyn Aquarium**  
**4 July 2010**  
**10:15 PDT**

The onyx scales marked with white circles and yellow trim of a Clown triggerfish reflected in the glazed glass the fish swam alongside. It’s home within the counterfeit reef had become eerier as the water's temperature progressively dropped and left the smaller residents to find comfort in the glow lights shining above.

A clash bounced from the other side of the reflection twitched the triggerfish towards the solid barrier and stare at a smudged counterpart in an opaque scene. The fish’s fins worked to level its oval body as it investigated the smudge triggerfish before them. Another clash vibrated through the water. The fish flinching in response to the sound and waited for a sign of danger to flee. But a distorted triggerfish swam in front it in mimicry movements.

Waiting.

Staring.

Movement brought the triggerfish’s attention to the opaque backdrop.

Another clash brought a flinch.

A large figure collided into the barrier, a bang that rippled through the tank and the triggerfish swam away into the nestled coral.

Smokescreen groaned from the impact and eyes snapped up to Snowstorm advancing with an icicle aimed for her throat. A second before impalement, Smokescreen morphed her body into an embodiment of grey smoke teased with ash and embers and slide between the ice villain’s legs and reformed on the villain’s rear. Smokescreen thrust a leg into the woman’s back and slammed Snowstorm into the glass of the large fish tank, releasing a groan out. The villain heard the pattering of feet behind her and projected a blast of icicles from the floor and jerking Smokescreen back a few paces.

Snowstorm turned around, her snowflake eyes following the startled movements of the sidekick of Incendio and Kitsune before recognising the tank she rested onto.

“Hey, Cigarette Bud,” the villain called out, catching Smokescreen eyes behind her mask, “feel like taking a swim with the fish!" Snowstorm twirled her icicle and pierced the glass of the fish tank. Smokescreen's eyes widened at the action and watched the glass crack around the penetration. She ignored the smirk from Snowstorm and thrust spikes of smoke from the ground, enveloping their ice counterparts and aiming around Snowstorm to hinder her intentions.

A few seconds too late.

Snowstorm pulled the icicle out on an angle, opening a wound in the glass that split further apart from the rush of salt-water flooding out of the tank. The smoke spikes drowned under the water and over the ice spikes before crashing into Smokescreen, who’s action to vaporise ceased with the liquid contact.

“Shit,” Smokescreen spat out and quickly manifested her _khuae_ to arms, “Cindy, switch with me!”

Snowstorm clutched her hand into a fist and the salt-water froze, trapping Smokescreen from ankle down and a layer of frost covering her wet clothing and skin. The dagger at the end of _makaripi_ dag into the frozen liquid, as Smokescreen avoided the tiny fish preserved within. Another smirk greeted Snowstorms lips as she froze more of the oncoming water and formed boulders of ice-coated in the mist that would produce frost-bite if touched with skin. The villain manifested a pedestal to lift her, the ice healing over the flowing water from the tank. Snowstorm aimed the colossal ice balls at the struggling sidekick.

Smokescreen jerked her gaze up to the possible death-sentence of the ice boulders and her hand out, four rings of grey-golden smoke encircled the girl in protection from the onslaught and she went back to her ice picking. With a simple shove of her hand, Snowstorm released the boulders and they charged towards the focused Smokescreen.

It was the intensity of the heat that could melt flesh and turn bone to ash in a matter of seconds that was felt first. Next came a fury of the suns breath wildly blocking the dissolving boulders and circling around both Smokescreen and Snowstorm, however, the rings tightened around Snowstorm, who’s pedestal was melting, as was the ice enclosing Smokescreens ankles and drying the water from her body.

Smokescreen pulled her left foot out and looked up to be greeted with a glowing hand of her mentor, Incendio, reached out for assistance that the protégé accepted.

“She broke the glass,” Incendio stated, a hand on the girl's shoulder for balance.

“I was too slow,” Smokescreen said, collecting the chain of her _makaripi_ before attaching it to the base of her plackart.

“You’re no Flash, so I won’t hold it to you.” The hero of Goldlyn looked back to the walls of fire, having removed the ones around Smokescreen earlier. The outline of Snowstorm movements of blasting snow and ice into the walls was seen, as were the two ice soldiers Incendio had been battling pacing behind the fire barrier further away. “The smaller ones got a weak leg.”

Smokescreen nodded eyeing the smaller of the ice soldiers created by Snowstorm as bodyguards when she had attack The Goldlyn Aquarium an hour ago, holding fourteen hostages and calling for a ransom. With Kitsune currently busy trying to manage a new fashion line in London, Incendio and Smokescreen were the ones who had to deal with Snowstorm. And Smokescreen was not pleased with the idea of something disturbing this very important day.

The two _oqtais_ shared a glance, before splitting, Incendio heading for Snowstorm and Smokescreen heading for the remaining ice soldiers.

“Don’t let them touch you!” Incendio instructed, manifesting her _khuae_ to arms.

“Don’t let her get to you!” Smokescreen yelled back before jumping through a hole her mentor split in the wall and whirling around on her knees to release a storm of bullets mixed with ash and smoke towards the ice soldiers. The mini-missiles hitting their chilled face where pointed spikes formed a rhinoceros horned pattern along the bridges of their nose. Smoke ducked the chaotic motion of their spears as the sentients scattered the smoke away and she pulled her _khuae_ off her plackart. Thrusting the dagger outwards, Smokescreen swung the _makaripi’s_ jet black chain towards the ice soldier, piercing it clean through the chest and spitting solid water onto the floor. The slight glow the soldier projected diminished and the body went limp, motionless like the ice block it originated from.

Before the satisfaction settled in, Smokescreen averted her eyes away from the dead ice soldier to its approaching companion. It's spear aimed for the chest and charging towards her. Seeing that attack coming, Smokescreen gripped the _makaripis_ end and hurled the dead Ice Soldier around, it’s immense body scratching the titled floor as it was pulled before it rammed into its once fellow ice soldier body. The incoming sentient fell with a heavy thud to the floor, their sibling's body laying over them, limiting their movement.

With the moment of weakness, Smokescreen yanked her _makaripi_ free, clasping it in her hand for a second and shooting the dagger into the foot of the refrained ice soldier. Smokescreen concentrated on the curricular grip of her khuae, breathing in and out, mind focused as she felt heat generate from her gloved hands.

‘Soos aodate, Demetria,’ the voice of Smokescreen’s elua whispered to her. _Like before, Demetria._

Demetria smiled, comforted by Nustika’s guidance, “Soos aodate, Nustika.” The girl’s own hands lit a pale orange and with a final breath, Smokescreen channelled the storm of heat down the metal of her _khuae_. The chain of the _makaripis_ manifesting the pale orange glow that intensified to a blazing orange of volcanic blood as it scampered onto the ice soldier and melted his liquid-solid form, crumpling to the ground in chunks of ice.

His pale glow dying away.

Smokescreen looked to her left to check if Incendio was still breathing and in need of assistance. And, Smokescreen didn’t feel the need to ask as she regarded the wall of snow and dry ice Snowstorm was shielding herself with. That very wall hit by rapid attacks of fireballs. One after the other, raining hell on Earth onto the ice villains poor excuse of a wall.

A crunching sound came from Smoke's earpiece located inside her mask covering the top of her face. “Are you eating popcorn, Wildcard?”

“Nope,” The women responded before Smokescreen heard the sound of more popcorn being eating. “That would be very immature of me and I'm not an immature person.”

Smokescreen ignored Aisha’s eating to notice the heavy stomps of ice before she saw it. She ducked the spear aimed for her back and rolled to the side to kneel in the direction of the last soldier that had been originally guarding the fourteen hostages.

“That’s a lie,” Zara's voice spoke up, accusing her sister. “Mum even agrees with me.”

“Well, mum agrees with you about everything.”

Hands gripping her _makaripi_ , Smokescreen swung the chain around the entities chunky legs and pulled firmly on the ring at the other end of the chain, the heavy beast fell from its prowl and hit the ground with a rumble.

Smokescreen ran up to its form and kicked the ice spear away from its chunky hands.

“That's because I'm right about everything.”

“Modest much.”

“Guys, either shut up or talk off com!” Incendio yelled at the Elrashidy sisters through her com. Smokescreen breathed out a small laugh while creating a mini smoke bomb with her free hand and attached it to the chest of ice soldier. Aisha childishly repeated Incendio words and Smokescreen believed Zara had hit her older sister on the head from the yelp of pain Aisha let out.

As the henchman attempted to sit up, the Smokescreen stepped away and entrapped him in a giant ball. With a slight twitch of her arms, she lifted him off the ground and she turned in the direction of her mentor and the ice villain.

"Incendio, move!" Smokescreen yelled.

Incendio didn't need to look behind to see what her partner was planning and leapt out of the way, as a giant ball of smoke smashed through the wall of ice and snow. The ball of smoke exploded as it touched the barrier, shoving Snowstorm across the room. The ice villain hit one of the smaller fish tanks opposing the one she had cracked and fell unconscious on impact, sliding down. The glass of the tank cracked a few inches but didn't break.

“Cool,” Aisha voiced her amusement before Smokescreen and Incendio heard another crunch of popcorn being eaten.

"Damn, right cool," Smokescreen said feeling her cheek redden from having finished the fight off. Smoke observed the scene with a revealed smile, from where her mask cut off, to see as all three ice soldiers were now chunks of ice and Incendio finishing by placing manacles on Snowstorm.

Smokescreen jogged up to her mentor, who pressed a button from the projection emitting above her glove, informing the CGPD that Snowstorm had been handled and the hostages were free. A subtle groan rose from Snowstorms shackled body and Smokescreen shifted her focus to the villain. Snowstorm, women, as her name implied, was a snowstorm, with a pale complexion, sliver braided hair with snowflake eyes and a jet black coat and suit that contrasted with her pale complexion. A complexion painted with a series of fresh first-degree burns trailing across her skin, additionally, her clothes had burnt patches that presented more burnt skin.

“You let her get to you,” Smokescreen said, an expression numb of positive emotion staring up at Incendio.

The woman shrugged and grunted out a, “I held back.”

“I'm sure she had a right sleeve, Cindy.” Smokescreen nodded down to the missing cloth of Snowstorm’s coat.

“The bitch kept taunting me with Kitsune.” Countered Incendio, who turned away from the villain, her direction aimed towards the rising hostages.

Protégé fell into step alongside mentor, “You’d think after a few millenniums, you’d stop getting emotional when people do that.”

“I have, she just riles me up.”

“Others have done that. You’re just overly-protective of the guy.”

“A few millenniums of a relationship will do that. Also.” The woman halted and projected a stopwatch from her glove. "Six minutes and twelve seconds off." The women stated, turning off the projection.

Smokescreen stared, wide-eyed at Incendio. "Oh, come on! We won, didn’t we," Smokescreen groaned, "And you said you wouldn't do that today! You've done it on my birthdays, on the past three Christmas-” The protégé had been using her finger to count the individual days off one by one before the Elrashidy sisters interrupted.

“Last Halloween,” Aisha piped in, “the Thanksgiving two years ago, last fourth of July,-”

“The Saint Patrick's Day three years ago and-” Zara paused trying to remember the last occasion.

“Valentines,” Aisha said.

“Yes, Valentines, two years ago.”

“Yeah,” Smokescreen exclaimed, thankful that the Elrashidy sisters were supporting her argument. “And now today! And today of all days, Cindy!" She spread her arms wide in an overemphasising and frustrated manner.

The front doors to the main aquarium busted open with police offers, guns raised, only to lower at the clear sight of the hostages safe and Snowstorm defeated. The pair of heroes nodded towards Captain Genevieve Romero, who rushed past the two to retrieve Snowstorm. Incendio turned towards the hostages that were slowly getting up and hugging their loved ones. Their ice chains having melted away with Snowstorms concussion.

"When you start beating the clock then I'll stop timing you."

"You'll just find something else to nag me about," Smokescreen argued.

Halting in her stride, Incendio bent down so she was eye level with her trainee, causing the girl to flinched her head back. "How would you like me to add on the extra twenty minutes, considering you made us late," She said slyly and Smoke watch Incendio's silver eyes narrow through the eye lenses in her mask. The two knew it was a lie, Incendio was teasing the girl.

Once again, the girl spread her arms out and argued back. "I was practising for the race. The race, which by the way, you are sponsoring. You can't blame me for that, I was nowhere near my phone." Smoke moved both hands in front of her and placed them parallel to one another with space in between, "You said I should balance my time between my teenage life and hero life. How was I suppose to know Snowstorm was attacking"

“Demi has a point, Cat,” Aisha stated.

The mentor ignored Aisha’s statement and sent Smokescreen a smirk. "By keeping your phone on you." Shocked with an amused smile, the girl was unable to say anything back to her mentor.

“Okay, Cat has a point, Demi. You, in particular, should always keep your phone on you.” Aisha rethought her opinion, causing Incendio's smug expression to become smugger and Smokescreens shocked one to grow annoyed.

“Pick a side, Wildcard, you know I don’t care for ‘respect your elders’, I will punch you.”

Before the Elrashidy girl could retort, Incendio spoke. "Now, come on and help these people out, you don't want to be late, do you?"

Seeing as the silly argument was over, Smoke snorted. "I doubt we'll be the late ones. More likely Flash and KF."

Incendio laughed as she assisted a family of five and three staff members towards the exit of the Aquarium. "Ironic how two of the fastest people in the world are always the late ones."

"KF blames Flash because he likes to chat with the police, fans, reporters and even the criminals. It makes them late to everything. Which ticks KF off."

Smokescreen picked up a teary-eyed six-year-old boy, that said his name was Isaac. Explaining between sobs that he had been separated from his parents in Snow Storms attack.

The dark brunette chuckled as they pushed through the main entrance of the Aquarium. Camera's flashed as photographers took photo's of the Oqtais with the ex-hostages running towards the people they were separated from. "That sounds like Flash. Always likes to chat people up."

When Incendio was finished speaking, Smokescreen saw two women running towards her, both smiling with tears. The woman with bright pink hair took the six-year-old from the fourteen-year-old arms and kissed Isaac's face all over. The second woman who looked to have Asian heritage hugged her partner and kissed Isaac on his temple. She looked up into Smoke's silver eyes and mouthed the words "Thank you".

The girl gave a kind smile and a nod. Looking back to the entrance of the aquarium, she saw four police officers drag a still unconscious Snowstorm out of the building. Around the villain's neck was an inhibitor collar, preventing her from using her powers and if she tired she would be electrocuted. Smoke watched the officers shove Snowstorm into a police truck that would take her to Belle Reve Penitentiary. The mother of all jails for the worst Supervillains and Metahumans out there.

Smokescreen watched the truck disappear from view before she went off to find Incendio. The young hero eager to get going and meet up with the others at the Justice League's HQ.

  
  


  



	2. We Sit And Believe Your Trust

**Washington, D.C**

**July 4, 2010**

**14:00 EDT**

**\-----**

The Hall of Justice acted as a constant reminder of the heroes deeds to the Earth and an inspiration for others to help one another. Smokescreen's fellow _oqtais_ ; Kitsune, Incendio, Geyser and the fallen _oqtai,_ Firecracker, had been initiated into the League when their HQ was based in the Secret Sanctuary, in Mount Justice. However, when the HQ was destroyed, the League went public with their alliances and their first act as an organisation was the construction of the Hall and the recruiting of additional members. 

Now, two years past since the Hall's construction, and Smokescreen, alongside her fellow protégés and their respected mentors stood in a line, observing the Hall of Justice in all its glory. Batman and Robin on the far right, Green Arrow and Speedy next to them and Aquaman and Aqualad next to Incendio and Smokescreen to the far left.

Batman placed a hand on Robin's shoulder as he spoke: "Today is the day."

Robin a protégé the longest in the group, under the mentorship of Batman, the hero of Gotham City. And Demetria still thought he was the cheeky smart ass she had met three years ago, shortly after finishing six months of training as Smokescreen. The Dynamic Duo had found themselves in Osaka, Japan after uncovering a new drug illegally imported from the city by the Japanese Mafia who released the drug to the streets of Gotham.

Batman had called Kitsune for assistance, aware that the hero not only patrolled Goldlyn but Osaka, the man's birthplace. It was a logical move for The Dark Knight as Kitsune knew the city better than any of the League members. Kitsune agreed to team up with Batman, and both unknowingly brought their young pupils.

Robin and Smokescreen didn't hit it off at the beginning; both unsure of one another but tried to acquaintance themselves for the sack of their mentors. Once locating the production of the drug source to a lab near the coast, the mentors had the trainees paired up to scout out the east and south side of the building while they scouted the west and north.

Batman and Kitsune found the lab along with the formula for the drug and Robin and Smokescreen ended up finding the delivery area, that was full of gangsters. Two against twenty-five. Those gangsters never stood chance against The Boy Wonder and The Visionary. The mentors arrived just in time to knock out five gangsters before realising that their protégés had taken care of the other twenty.

When the police arrived, handcuffed the criminals, investigating the lab and cleaning up the drugs, Robin and Smokescreen couldn't stop talking and laughing amongst themselves. Their mentors had to drag them away from each other while they were still chatting.

"Welcome to the Hall Of Justice." Says Green Arrow next to Speedy.

With Star City and Goldlyn only a state away from each other. Smokescreen became familiar with the superhero's known as Green Arrow and Black Canary and their trainee's Speedy; Roy Harper and Vulture; Deja Lafaille-Lance, both of whom Demetria was friends with.

Today, Deja stood as the youngest out of all the sidekicks of the League, which is the reason why Black Canary and Vulture weren't currently standing alongside Green Arrow and Speedy. From what Deja had told Demetria, Dinah was not allowing her to get a step closer to becoming a League member in till she was thirteen, in a couple of months. Demi couldn't wait for the day.

"Headquarters of the Justice League," Aquaman stated, looking ahead at the Hall.

To add to the growing list of superheroes with a sidekick, only two months ago did Aquaman assign his own partner, Aqualad. Smokescreen had met him several weeks ago and was glad to find a friendly level-headed guy as the King of Atlantis’ protégé. She had asked the teen a few questions about the underwater world of Atlantis after learning of his origins and reliving _old_ memories of the time she visited Atlantis when the city still breathed air.

"You've all earned it." Incendio placed both of her gloved hands onto Smokescreens shoulders. The two share a brief glance, souls comforting one another with years of kinship.

"Oh, man!" A familiar voice whined from behind the group.

All eight superheroes and young heroes turned around to see Flash, clad in red and Kid Flash, clad in yellow come to a stop from their 'run'. "I knew we'd be the last ones here." Kid Flash crossed his arms over his chest, a pout on his face.

Smokescreen had heard of Kid Flash before she had met him. Kitsune and Incendio had spoken of him, saying he had officially been named Kid Flash only several months ago after his training was finished with Flash. And meeting the fastest teenager alive was something that Smoke wouldn't forget.

For two reasons.

One; Smokescreen had met him when six of Goldlyn's and the _o_ _qtai_ _s_ _’s_ enemies; Lollipop, Time Cleaver, Night Terror, Cerberus and Professor Mist had teamed up and were wreaking havoc across the city. Incendio called the heroes of Star City while Kitsune called the heroes of Central City.

And two; throughout the first half of the mission, Kid Flash had been flirting with Smokescreen before she "accidentally" set his hair on fire with her embers. He got the hint. But, just like meeting Robin, when the villains had either fled or been captured, fourteen per cent of downtown looking like a war zone and the seven heroes beat up but victorious, the two were having a great time in one another's company.

Now that all five groups had arrived, heroes alongside their trainees descended down the hill they had been standing on. As they made their way to the entrance, they caught the attention of the tourists visiting the Hall. They clicked their camera's, taking photos of the famous mentor's and their partners, talking amongst themselves in glee.

"Is that Batman?"

"I thought Smokescreen was Kistune's sidekick."

"No, she works with both of them."

"Aww."

"I see Flash and Flash jouner."

"His name's Speedy, duh!"

"No, Speedy's, Green Arrow's sidekick."

"Well, that makes no sense."

"No, Black Canary and Vulture?"

"Nope."

"Aww."

Green Arrow leaned forward to Speedy, who was striding in front of him, shoulders back and head forward, a proud smirk lighting his face, "Ready to see the inner sanctum?"

Speedy sent a confident smile to his mentor, "Born that way."

Incendio bent down to Smoke's ear, whispering to her. "Any déjà vu coming to you?"

Smokescreen gave a breathed laughter, "A bit."

"50BC?"

"I’m surprised you remember that," Smokescreen responded and recalled the last time the Visionary had been initiated into an organisation alongside their fellow _o_ _qtais_ and non-o _qtais._ However, Vaiwa had been pulled away from the escapades as Vemula called for the Diligent's aid.

"I'm glad we're all here," Aqualad addressed, his gaze shifting over his fellow protégés.

Kid Flash did the same, an excitable tone to his response, "Have this many sidekicks ever been in the same place at the same time?"

" _Don't_ call us _sidekicks_ , not after today," Speedy exclaimed, insulted by the 'S _'_ word.

"Sorry," Kid apologised, "First time at the hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"You're overwhelmed. Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn't anyone ever just _whelmed_?" Robin complained, entering the front entrance of the Hall.

Smokescreen cupped her mouth with her hand and muttered to Kid Flash, "I bet you that's going to be his new thing for today." The red-head glanced at his friend before the two snickered.

Looking up once she and Kid Flashed entered the Hall, Smokescreen saw the giant bronze statues of the seven founding members of the Justice League; Aquaman, Flash, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter all built-in heroic poses.

Boy Wonder was taken back by the view in front of him that he didn't hear the snickering of his closest friends. "Oh, maybe that's why." His words had his two friends share quiet giggles.

The group halted at a sealed door labelled 'AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY'. The door opened to a waiting Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado.

The green extraterrestrial stepped forward before addressing the five protégés: "Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Smokescreen, welcome." He turned around and walked back through the open door. The two youngest of the group fist-bumped Kid who was in the middle of them before following after Martian Manhunter. "You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked galley, and of course our library."

Manhunter led the group on the tour of the inner sanctum, a location that been previously closed off the young individuals and now, after varies time spans of training and gaining trust amongst their mentors and the League, they were _finally_ being given the tour of the HQ. The library was a large open room, its walls shelved with more than a hundred books and a square meeting table in front of a large computer. Of to the side, a window was built in for tourists to observe the room.

Flash opened his arms out and smiled at the teenagers, "Make yourselves at home."

Aqualad and Smokescreen took a seat on swivel chairs on their left as Robin and Kid Flash, both jumped onto leather chairs on their right. Speedy stayed standing in the middle of the grouping. Folding his arms, he eyed the superhero's gathering amongst one another in a circle.

"Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of five ice villains attacking on the same day," Batman announced to his fellow Leaguers before looking at the protégés. "We shouldn't be long." He asserted.

Smokescreen’s head titled and attempted to make eye contact with her mentor, _‘that's it?’_

Turning around, Batman faced another sealed door. A computer activated and began to scan the Justice League members. Reading out their designations in Catherine Cobert, the public affairs officer for the Leagues voice. "Recognised: Batman, zero-two; Aquaman, zero-six; Flash, zero-four; Green Arrow, zero-eight; Incendio, one-one; Martian Manhunter, zero-seven; Red Tornado, two-zero."

The door opened to reveal a zeta-tube, but the mentors, the Martian and the red robot were stopped before they could enter it by the call of Speedy. "That's it? You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass!" The four other protégés watched the commotion unfold behind Green Arrow's protégé.

"It's a first step," The King of Atlantis said. "You've been granted access few others get."

"Oh, really?" Clearly not believing Aquaman's words, Speedy gestured to the window that tourists were able to look through. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?”

Seeing that the argument could become heated further than it was, Green Arrow stepped forward to calm his pupil down. "Roy, you just need to be patient."

"What I need is respect!" The red archer turned to face his fellow protégés, trying to persuade them to join his side "They're treating us like kids. Worse, like sidekicks! We deserve better than this." Robin, Smokescreen, Kid Flash and Aqualad looked at one another, not convinced to join Speedy.

The hot-head teenager blinked, surprised to see his friends not agreeing with him. "You're kidding, right? You're playing their game. Why? Because you think they play fair? Today was supposed to be _the_ day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of The League."

"Well, sure," Kid straightened before continuing, "But I thought step one was a tour of the HQ."

Speedy was fast in his response, "except the hall isn't the League's real HQ." The stunned expressions of Robin, KF and Aqualad informed Smoke she wasn't the only one hearing this for the first time. "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists and a pit stop for catching zeta beam teleporter tubes to the real thing, an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower."

Smokescreen unfolded her legs from their crisscrossed position and pressed a stare to her mentor and fellow _oqtai_ , "Cindy?" Incendio meet Smokes eyes, guilt clear that the slow nod was not necessary. Smoke turned away, a silent message sent between the two.

"You're not helping your cause here, son. Stand down or-" Aquaman advised.

The red archer, in a furry, cut off the Atlantean, "or what? You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son! I'm not even his." Roy gestured to Green Arrow before his voiced slowed, "I thought I was his partner, but not anymore."

Speedy pulled off his yellow hat and threw it onto the floor. Robin, Smoke, KF and Aqualad stared in shock at the action. The symbolism was obvious for his decision. He was leaving, giving up the closest chance to become a Justice League member he had.

Turning his back to his now ex-mentor, the four protégés stood from their chairs and watched as Speedy left the room, not before he commented on their choice "Guess they're right about you four. You're not ready." He left and Smoke watched as the doors closed after his exit.

She was shocked, not much can do that to her, but this, she did not see coming. Smokescreen knew Speedy to be the most eager pupil out of all of them. And just like that, he threw it out the window after so many years of training.

In his shoes, Demetria would have done the same.

‘Geihen, ju’sossu gio,’ Nustika piped up as Demetria watched Speedy leave. Her eyes wavered on the doors before turning back to the group. Her _elua_ was correct, she would not have done the same as Roy. Demetria had a path she wished to follow and if almost eleven thousands years of life had told her anything, patience was a virtue. _No, you would not._

The sound of the door closing followed the computer screen in the library activating. An image of Superman in his iconic blue, red and yellow hero suit appeared on the screen. "Superman to Justice League. There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus." Batman walked to the keyboard infront the massive screen, his other Leaguers following. All seeming to forget about what had transpired. "This may present the perfect opportunity to in-"

The Dark Night was interrupted by another call from the magician of the League.

"Zatara to Justice League: The Sorcerer Wotan is using the amulet of Attan to blot out the sun. Requesting full League response." The man in the top hat with an Italian accent spoke in an urgent tone.

"Superman?"

"It's a small fire. Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait." Batman pressed a button on the computers large keyboard. "All-Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out," He rotated to see four the irritated protégés gathered behind him and with zero consideration stated, "Stay put _._ "

"What? Why?" Robin inquired to Batman's order.

"This is a League mission." Explained the Aquaman, standing alongside Batman, Incendio and Flash.

"You're not trained," Flash remarked.

Kid Flash took insult in his mentor's words, "Since when?”

"Three years of my life says otherwise." Smokescreen scoffed, growing even more peeved along with the rest of her friends. They were their mentors? People had been training how to survive and think in a fight for years and they were treating them like they had no experience, like children who still need training wheels on their bikes. They had all proven themselves at least once that they knew what they were doing.

"Demi, Wally, that's not what he meant," Incendio defended her fellow Leaguer.

"Thank you, Cat,” Seeing his mistake in words, Flash re-spoke, “What I meant was you're not trained to work as part of this team." He gestured to Batman, Incendio, Aquaman and himself.

"There will be other missions when you're ready," Aquaman informed.

"But for now, _stay put_ ," Batman repeated, eyes narrowing to the four teenagers. The message unspoken. He was not playing around.

The _now_ four mentors, along with Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado zeta-beamed out of the Hall. Leaving four irritated and frustrated teenagers by themselves in the library.

The pupils stayed quiet once everyone left and the silence in the library extremely loud, it was uncomfortable. Demeitira replayed the events in her head, now aware that her and the other mentors not only lied to them but grasping the reality that proving themselves would be harder than they originally thought when their mentors didn't trust them.

Kid Flash spoke the words in Smoke's head out to everyone. "When we're ready? How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like-” he hesitated, “like sidekicks?”

Aqualad looked down "My mentor, my king, I thought he trusted me."

“Yeah,” Demi drawled, thinking back to Incendio exiting through the zeta-tube. Did Kitsune know this? Geyser, as well? Had all three been keeping this to themselves? If Nico didn’t die, then Nustika would have been up there alongside the League. The others knew this, why would they hide this then. The _oqtais_ do not keep secrets between one another. Secrets this small anyway. It was _oqtais_ first. It was always us first.

"Trust?" Kid exclaimed, his voice emanating his miff, "They don't even trust us with the basics! They've got a secret HQ in space!" His arms through upwards dramatically.

With crossed arms, Smoke blew out a breath of smoke, a few embers floating before extinguishing, "Talk about being good role models."

"What else aren't they telling us?" Aqualad questioned.

"I have a better question," Robin spoke up, his white eyes covered by his mask moved from the ground to his friends. "Why didn't we leave with Speedy?"

Kid Flash, Aqualad and Smokescreen quieted down, all feeling the guilt of leaving their friend. Smoke wouldn’t have left with Speedy but he was right. Their mentors had lied and did not trust their protégé. Yet, the four of them did nothing to help him prove his point to their mentors.

"What is Project Cadmus?" The Atlantean asked Robin.

"Don't know, but I can find out." Robin wore a familiar mischievous grin that Smoke and Kid knew all too well. The Boy Wonder walked over to the keyboard of the computer and began to rapidly type away.

A few seconds passed before the computer spoke: "Access denied."

"Heh, want to bet?" Robin clicked several more keys as the large screen showed Robin re-writing and hacking the computer's system.

"Whoa! How are you doing that?" Kid, watching the hacking in bewilderment.

"Same system as the Batcave." Stated Robin in a cheeky voice, eye never lifting from the screen.

"How often do you hack into the Batcaves systems?" Smoke asked. Robin answered with a sly grin and continued his work for several seconds before a satisfying "Access granted" announced from the computer.

An image appeared on the screen, a modern white cement building standing next to a river, presumably the Potomac River in D.C. Robin summarised the text that was under the image as the other's eyes stayed attracted to the image. "All right, Project Cadmus. Genetics lab here in D.C. That's all there is, but if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate." Robin looked over his friends, seeing if they would hop on board.

"Solve their case before they do. It would be poetic justice." Considered Aqualad.

Robin smiled, "Hey, they're all about justice."

"But they said, 'stay put'." Aqualad rethought, not wanting to disobey his mentor and Batman.

"For the blotting out the sun mission, not this."

"Wait, are you going to Cadmus?" Kid Flash turn Robin to face him, hands gripping his shoulders with a wild grin. "Because if you're going, I'm going," He gestured from himself to Robin.

Smokescreen and Aqualad watched the exchange between the two "Just like that, we're a team on a mission?" Aqualad questioned the two, sending them a wary eyebrow.

"We didn't come for a play date," Robin said with a roguish smile. "Double S, you in?" The black-haired boy asked the only girl in the small group. Not having heard her opinion as of yet.

Smokescreens silver eyes that were outlined by black paint went from the computer screen to the closed-off Zeta-tube that her mentor had disappeared from and finally her eyes meet the ones of her friends. She shook her head, "This is a stupid -we're probably going to get into serious trouble, I'm bound to be grounded- idea."

"Oh yeah, guaranteed," KF said with a bright smile, already knowing her answer.

"Dido," Robin said at the same time as his ginger friend.

The boys watched as Smoke made her own mischievous grin on her face "Let's do it."

🔥🔥🔥🔥

Nustika could sense the smoke before Smokescreens eyes landed on it. The four young heroes turned another street before they saw the grey gas rising into the sky. Informing Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad that she'll go on ahead to see what she can do, Smokescreen quickly morphed into her gas form. Unbeknown to Smoke, KF had speed forward, planning on getting to Cadmus Labs before her and leaving behind Robin and Aqualad.

Smokescreen landed on the roof of the burning building a moment after Kid Flash had run up its wall to catch two falling scientists who had been knocked out by an explosion. Losing his speed on the building's surface, Kid threw the two men onto the edge roof. Smokescreen watched as one of them managed to heave themselves the rest way up, while the other struggled, fingers slipping from the ledge. Smokescreen swiftly grabbed hold of his hands and assisted in lifting him the rest of the way onto a stable surface.

"You gentlemen, alrigh’?" The _o_ _qtai_ huffed out the question to the scientist, who both nodded to the young hero. "Good."

Down below, she noticed Aqualad pull out his water-bearers to manipulate the liquid coming from the fire truck. Activating his tattoos, that lit a neon white, he created a whirlpool around himself and lifted off the ground. The Atlantean came up the rooftop, nodding towards the _oqtai_ before looking at the two scientists next her. "Step aboard" The scientist hesitated and the two heroes noticed. Wanting to get this over with, Aqualad spoke again, persistently. "Now!"

The two men jumped onto the water's surface, wobbling at first before getting their bearings. Smokescreen observed as Aqualad stepped off the whirlpool and onto the window seal where Robin and KF had disappeared into. Keeping a steady hand on his Water-Bearers, the Atlantean lead the water all the to the cement ground before ceasing his control over it once the two scientist were safe on the floor. Before entering through the window seal, Aqualad leaned out and called out, "Smokescreen!"

Hearing her name, Smokescreen ran towards the edge of the roof and flipped off. In mid-fall, she changed into her gas form and flew into the open window where her friends were. Smokescreen tried to make out her surrounding after materialising but the only light within the office room was the dim illumination by the twilight sky. It was a typical office, a computer where Robin was hacking into and a file cabinet that Kid stood searching through it. But Aqualad was nowhere to be found.

"There's nothing good here," KF explained, shutting the cabinet and turning to face Smokescreen and Robin, arms folded in front of his chest.

Robin let out an annoyed sigh before backing away from the computer to stand next to the Oqtai "Same here."

Smoke regarded her two friends before asking: "Where's our Atlantean?"

Unfolding his arms, Kid pointed to the open door in the dim office "He went that way-" He paused. The three protégés wore confused looks as they heard the sound of a 'ding' followed by metal doors closing from outside the office. Smokescreen realised it sounded more like elevator doors closing and her friends must have thought the same because Kid Flash was already speeding out of the office followed by Robin and Smoke.

The three ran through the dimly lite hallway trying to find the elevator and Aqualad. But come to an abrupt stop at the end of it once hearing the Atlanteans voice. "There was something in the-"

Kid Flash stopped suddenly, not turning the corner, in which Robin and Smokescreen had thought he would. "Elevators should be locked down." He managed to say before Robin and Smoke bumped into him, trying their best to slow down beforehand to prevent hitting Kid Flash.

The two regained their postures and Robin ran forward towards the elevator and observed it "This is wrong" he concluded prior to activating the computer that was installed in his black gloves. After typing on the 3D holographic keyboard, Robin smiled once figuring out he was correct. "Thought so. This is a high-speed express elevator." He explained, gesturing towards the closed doors "It doesn't belong in a two-story building."

Aqualad walked forward to face the middle of the elevator doors "Neither does what I saw." With a burst of strength, the platinum blond pushed open the doors with a grunt.

Robin ran forward and crouched under Aqualad still outstretched arms, as Smokescreen and Kid Flash looked over his shoulders. The group trained on the length of the elevator shaft to find that it didn't, in fact, have two levels but, from what Smoke could tell more than fifty floors below ground.

"And that's why they need an express elevator." Robin stood up from his crouch. Pulling out his grappling gun from his utility belt and shooting it towards the ceiling of the shaft, Smoke watched as Robin jumped off the door's ledge and fell down the shaft, his yellow and black cape flying behind. Aqualad jumped and seized the grappling guns rope, sliding down after Robin. Kid jumped after and Smokescreen morphed into her gas form before travailing down the elevator shaft.

"I'm at the end of my rope." Robin's voice echoed off the shaft walls. Robin swung back and forward before leaping onto the ledge next to another door that read 'SL 26'. Once Aqualad and Kid Flash made it to the base of the grappling guns rope and they followed suit in Robin's movement in swinging onto the narrow ledge.

Seeing that Robin was already leaning next to the door and Aqualad and Kid Flash were occupying the other side, there was not enough room for Smokescreen to land. She decided to stay in her gas form and remained hovering a couple of centimetres away from the ledge.

The Boy Wonder activated his computer glove once again and started hacking away at the doors system. "Bypassing security."

"Robin, wait, don't open it yet," Aqualad stated. Robin along with KF both gave the Atlantean confused looks on his decision, and if Smokescreen could form facial expressions in her Smoke form, it would be similar to her friends. Aqualad turned to look the morphed form of Smokescreen hovering in front of him. "Smokescreen, scout out ahead, make sure there are no guards."

"Alright." Smokescreens voice was heavy and her accent changed from a thin Greek one to a thick accent that sounded as if it belonged somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Robin and Kid Flash knew from experience that it was a Tawai accent, a side effect of her gas form. It gave off an ancient feel to the other pupils.

From what the three boys could make out, Smokescreen gave a nod and the smell of smoke become clear-cut as her form passed them and seeped through the sealed doors. Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad waited a quarter of a minute before they heard two knocks from the other side of the metal doors and Smokescreen's normal voice. "We're good."

That's all The Boy Wonder needed before he was opening the elevator doors. "There, go." Aqualad pushed the elevators doors open and the three protegés moved past them fast before they closed behind them.

Smokescreen, who was back in her human form and was facing away from the metal doors when they opened. She turned around in time to see the three boys enter the level floor and with a dull smile on her painted face, she spoke: "Welcome to Project Cadmus, Fellas."

It was dimly lit with several hallways stretching out in different directions. Nothing impressive or interesting in Smokescreens opinion.

Smoke watched as KF speed down one of the hallways with Aqualad calling after him, "Kid wait!" But the speedster didn't listen and disappeared from sight. Smokescreen joined Aqualad and Robin in a run, following in the direction of Kid Flash.

"I hate it when he does that" Robin declared, shaking his black-haired.

Smokescreen sent her friend a look with a raised eyebrow, "You’re one to talk."

"How?" The Boy Wonder squinted his eyes while he looked to his right at Smoke.

"You both do it!"

Robin didn't get a chance to respond when he, along with Smokescreen and Aqualad felt the floor shake repeatedly, as if someone was banging a large hammer on it. They could hear the source of the banging coming from the end of the hallway, which was in view. The three of them came to a slow stop next to Kid Flash, all with a bewildered look.

The banging sound was not a hammer. Was far from a hammer as you could get. In front of the four young heroes was something that belonged in the prehistoric time. Smokescreens silver eyes glued themselves to the gigantic beasts with grey skin and two elephant tusks that walked similar to a gorilla. In row's of two, the creatures marched past the stunned trainees. Not looking down or giving a thought towards the intruders.

"No, nothing odd going on here," Aqualad spoke sarcastically, still stunned at what was in front of him.

Smokescreen nodded along with the Atlantean and cursed with a still bewildered yet agitated look. "Shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it, guys. Or even a question.


	3. What Lurks Below The Facade

**Washington, D.C**

**Under Cadmus Labs**

**\-----**

Project Cadmus was giving Smokescreen a sense of déjà vu. Memorise from one of her previous lives came flooding back to her as she waited for Robin to hack a sealed door. One of her life's, born during the Victorian era, the Visionary had been sent on a mission alongside the Just of Molten Blood to infiltrate Uthya, a country on Vemula that had been at war with Suntgai, an allied country of Tawaikai.

Suntgai had contacted Tawaikai and informed them that they had a source that Uthya was planning to unleash a new weapon onto the battlefield. Tawaikai contacted Nustika, the Visionary’s and Kahinga, the Just’s _oqtais_ and informed them to get to Tawaikai and fast.

The mission was simple; go to Uthya, uncover their new weapon and destroy it. Sneaking into the Royal Labs of Uthya was, in one word, easy. The Visionary and the Just were astonished to discover that the weapons were genetically grown creatures. If released onto the battlefields, they could be the tipping point for Uthya to win the war against Suntgai.

In the end, the two _o_ _qtais_ destroyed the Royal Labs with The Just doing a majority of the work, while The Visionary made sure that there was no way for the Uthyan's to remake the creatures. Three weeks later, the _o_ _qtais_ won the war for Suntgai by fighting at the front lines and were glad that the creatures were never used by Uthya or Suntgai.

As Smokescreen remembered the mission, she hoped that these creatures that roamed the Cadmus underground halls were not for the same use.

The red lights of the sealed door turned green, signalling to the rest of the group that Robin hacked the locks. When the doors slid open, the colour of electric blue blinded the young heroes eyes.

The four trainees observed with stunned expressions as they took in the room in front of them. The walls were lined with large tubes that had electricity spiking out of them that connected with a large ball of energy in the middle of the back wall.

"Okay, I'm officially whelmed," Robin stated as he noticed the interior of the bizarre room.

Equally large creatures were placed in every one of the tubes. Smokescreen noted the resemblance of them to a ceskia neasel, a species from Vemula. Three pointed, thin legs were on either side, small wings stood open on their backs and a white pouch at their end that emitted light. "Uh," The girl muttered, concluding the creatures were the source of the electricity that was coming from the tubes.

Kid Flash walked up close to one of the tubes, analysing it. "This is how they hid this massive underground facility from the world." The speedster turned around to face his fellow protégés. "The real Cadmus isn't on the grid. It generates its own power with these things." Kid stated, gesturing to the creatures in the tubes.

‘Ocuhade vaut inulo issieyaasha,’ Nustika added. _Keeps them away from_ _prying eyes_ _(It guards from the blind eyes)._

Smokescreen's silver eyes were glued to the closest tube next to her, “Clearly didn’t work or Bats and the League would not be suspicious of the place."

“It kind of did. Leagues not here.” Kid added, coming up to Smokescreen.

"The name is even a clue." Aqualad began, looking towards Kid Flash, "The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sowing dragons teeth into the earth."

"And this Cadmus creates new life, too," Robin referred to the beasts patrolling the halls and walked over to a computer in the middle of the room. Robin pulled a cored from his glove, plugging it into the machine and his 3D computer activated above his glove. "Let's find out why." He typed away on the hologram, hacking into Cadmus flies.

"They call 'em genomorphs." Robin informed shortly after Aqualad, Kid Flash and Smokescreen crowded next to him."Whoa! Look at the stats on these things-" Smokescreen watched as Robin flicked through different genomorphs flies. A monkey looking one, the elephant-gorilla, the Ceskia Neasel look-a-like, one that reminded Smoke of the alien from Alien "-Super strength, telepathy, razor claws." In shock, Robin retracted his hand, "These are living weapons!"

"They're engineering an army, but for who?" Kid Flash, who had been scrutinising at the flies from Robin's side, narrowed his eye while he spoke. Not comfortable with his theory.

‘I was really hoping it wasn’t going to be like Suntgai,’ Demetria spoke to Nustika.

‘Ukaetaalo.’ _How j_ _oyous._

"Wait, there's something else," Robin announced suddenly. Aqualad and Smokescreen looked closer over both of his shoulders. Tapping the hologram once, the screen changed to one with blurred text. "Project Kr." Robin read the only text not blurred out. He tapped again at the screen and rapidly typed on his keyboard.

"It’s triple-encryption, isn’t it?" Smokescreen asked the Boy Wonder after he let out an annoyed frustrated sound.

“Yeah. I can't-"

"Don't move!" An unknown male voice aggressively ordered.

The young heroes looked up in alarm to the source of the voice. A man wearing a yellow helmet that covered his identity and a black and dark blue suit emerged from the open door and stopped abruptly, facing the four teenagers.

Smokescreens noticed the small genomorph sitting on the man's right shoulder, it's red eyes that were observing the young heroes and the way it held its face, made Smoke think it looked like a mix of a gnome and Tiki. Six of the alien-looking genomorphs accompanied the man into the room. Five stopping next to him and one had jumped onto a stand, awaiting orders.

"Wait." The man's expression, one that held anger soften once he examined who stood before him. "Robin, Aqualad, Smokescreen, Kid Flash?"

"At least he got your name right," Robin remarked to Kid Flash. He shifted his gaze from the competition going on before him to his holographic computer.

"I know you, Guardian," Aqualad spoke. Kid Flash and Some Screen who stood either side of the Altetiean looked up at him before back to 'Guardian'. "A hero."

"I do my best," Guardian bellowed.

"Then what are you doing here?!" Kid argued, taking a step forward to the yellow helmeted masked man.

"I think that's my question, boys.-"

Smokescreen cut Guardian off with an 'ahem' and a disapproval gaze.

Startled, he clumsy added: "And girl." Before regaining his confidence and continuing "I'm chief of security. You're trespassing, but we can call the Justice League, figure this out."

"You think the League's gonna approve of you breeding weapons?" Barked Kid Flash. Glaring at the man who called himself a hero, yet was working for an underground, illegal genetics lab.

Guardian looked puzzled by Kids words "Weapons? What are you-" Smokescreen noted the Tiki-genomorphs horns glowed red the same time Guardian stop mid-sentence and his eyes seem to glaze over. "What have I- ugh, my head." Guardian closed his blue eyes and touched his temple, trying to soothe his headache.

Smokescreen shared a glance with Aqualad and a mental understanding to be cautious.

Guardians eyes snapped open. He looked like a mindless beaning, not in control as he pointed the four teenagers in front of him "Take them down hard! No mercy!" He ordered to the alien-like genomorphs.

They charged at the group. Aqualad, Kid Flash and Smokescreen backed up slowly at the incoming threat. Smokescreen materialised grey-black smoke around her left hand and brought it near to her face. She readied herself to fight but was put off guard (as was Aqualad and Kid Flash) when Robin through a smoke bomb to the ground.

Smokescreen had brought her arms in front of her, to block the impact of the gas, causing the grey-black smoke around her hand to disappear. Opening her eyes, her Oqtai silver eyes were paler with a rim of white, as if her eyes were an image of the moon, allowing her to see clearly through the smoke around her.

However, she didn't register the genomorph charging, like a raging bull, headfirst into her chest. The impact of the genetically grown creature had Smokescreen hurtling backwards, and slamming her back into the computer Robin had hacked into.

Ignoring the pain that came from the impact, eyes glazed, Smokescreen flipped up behind the computer and watched the genomorph smack face-first into the computer screen, cracking its surface. With a swift movement, Smokescreen jumped on the genomorph, one leg landing on its head, shoving its face further into the keyboard and the other landing on its back.

Luckily, she saw the second genomorph came at her. Re-materialising the grey-black smoke around her left hand, Smokescreen brought her fist to the genomorphs face just as it leapt towards the _o_ _qtai_ , fangs sharp and claws ready to harm. The gas around her fist acted as a brick wall to the incoming opponent. The alien-like genomorph fell to the ground in pain, hissing like a hurt cat. This gave Smokescreen enough time to fully morph into her gas form and fly out of the cloud of smoke, absorbing patches of the gas around her.

Smokescreen noticed Kid Flash and Aqualad emerge from the cloud a second after she had flown out. Followed by several angry genomorphs chasing after the three trainees.

Retracing their steps back to the elevator that took them to the secret of Cadmus. The young heroes ran and flew through the hallways that they had once sneaked through before. The genomorphs chasing the trio were reluctant to let them out of their sight, slowly getting closer to the proteges. Turning another corner, Smokescreen was glad to see the metallic doors of the elevator and the Boy Wonder hacking into it again.

Kid Flash sped forward with Smokescreen trailing behind him.

The ginger boy skidded to a stop next to the black-haired boy. "Way to be a team player, Rob!"

Robin briefly looked up before going back to hacking into the elevator doors. "Weren't you right behind me?"

The grey smoke stopped on the other side of the Boy Wonder. "Really, Robin!" The cloud of smoke touched the floor and Smokescreens body started to appear. Little flecks of ember from the edge of the disappearing smoke flew into the air before extinguishing. Smokescreens voice returned to its normal thin Greek one. "A warning next time you decide to do that!"

"You handled it."

Smokescreen would have hit the boy on the shoulder for the comment if the sound of the elevator door opening didn't stop her. The trio ran into through the metal doors and turned to see Aqualad running towards them, with the herd genomorphs following behind.

The Atlantean jumped headfirst into the elevator and Kid Flash closed the doors with a slam of a button. Seeing that they were in the clear Smokescreen's adrenaline began to slow down and she hunched forward, regretting it instantly as her lower back throbbed. Flinching up, she moved a hand to feel the area that was sore, remembering being slammed into the computer. Her face changed to one of announces, there was going to be a bruise there tomorrow.

"We're headed down?"

Smokescreens silver eyes looked up at the elevators control panel at Aqualads question. The numbers were increasing when they were meant to be decreasing.

"Dude, out is up!" Kid Flash pointed his red-gloved index finger upwards, indicating the correct way they should be heading.

"Excuse me?" Robin started, looking at his fellow proteges as if they should know why they were heading further down. "Project Kr, it's down on sub-level fifty-two."

"This is out of control." Aqualad scratched the side of his head as he stepped past his three peers. "Perhaps...perhaps we should contact the League." The Atlantean expressed his concerned thoughts.

Smokescreen stepped forward so she was next to Aqualad and in front of Robin. "This is getting to be too much for us to handle. We have enough information that will convince the League to get their big hero asses down here and investigate."

"Vis, you've gone through worse, this should be nothing?" Robin remarked.

Smokescreens met Robin stare, that was covered by his mask and Smoke could make out her own reflection of annoyance at the Boy Wonders words. "Yes, I have gone through worse, Robin. And the last time I dealt with something similar to this, I had someone wreck the place with freaking lava. We don’t have them right now, and the League can do better."

"What does that say about us, backing out of this and calling for help from the League."

"It says that we're smart and that we know when we need help."

Kid Flash and Aqualad stood quietly in surprise that Robin and Smokescreen were getting heated with one another.

"If we leave now to get the League then Cadmus will have enough time to move everything, including whatever this Project Kr is. "

“Have you seen how big this place is. They can’t get rid of it all before we call the League. But, only if we leave now.”

"We go up, call the League and come back with or without Cadmus still here, they will just be angry that we hacked their computer and we will have to gain their trust all over again. We do this now, find out what this Project Kr is on our own, there will be no need to gain trust cause we would have figured out what is going on." The Boy Wonders spout finished with the sound of a 'bing' and the sealed metal doors of the elevator opened. "We can't leave now," Robin added and left the confines of the metal box.

"We are already here." Kid Flash shrugged at Aqualad and Smoke, who stood in a single file with him before he speeds out after Robin.

Aqualad regarded Smokescreens hard stare. "We'll see what this Project Kr is and then we leave."

"Μαλάκας. Fine." Smokescreen grumbled and ran out of the elevator, leaving the platinum blond to sigh. He mildly understood the Greek curse in relations to his mother tongue of Atleantian and chased after his team.

Smokescreen noted the strange interior of the hallways as she crouched next to Kid Flash behind several tin barrels. The walls, floor and roof were all covered in burgundy clusters of lumps that appeared to be a sort of egg or sack. Whatever it was, Smokescreen was wary of their contents.

“Which way?” Aqualad questioned as he knelt in between Kid Flash and Robin.

“Yeah, bizarre-looking hallway one or bizarre-looking hallway two?” The Boy Wonder gestured to the individual's hallways when he answered.

“Halt!” A voice shouted from the first hallway. Four pairs of eyes watched a humanoid genomorphs with horns glowing a warm red as he raised an arm. Several of the barrels on the side of the hallway lifted up from the ground and thrust towards the young heroes.

Smokescreen ducked the incoming barrels. The barrels hit the wall behind them and exploded on impact. She hurled her body out of the way to avoid the explosion and she yelled to her group that were also in chaos to avoid the incoming barrels. “Bizarre-looking hallway two will have to do!”

"Go!" Aqualad order to the group after Robin had thrown one of his batarangs at the human-like genomorph.

The quartet ran towards the open hallway, in which Smokescreen glanced to the genomorph. The man stopped the batarangs with his telepathy and threw several more barrels towards the young heroes and thankfully they were out of the way of the explosion that followed.

Smokescreen just barley heard Kid Flash yell that he'll go on ahead from the explosion behind the group and the sound of genomorphs chasing the group. The echo of the strange creatures had the Smokescreen run faster, not wishing to get caught.

Running alongside Aqualad and Robin, the girl was distracted by the sounds from behind her by commotion up ahead at the next turn. The three young heroes all having a common thought and turned left when the hallway opened up. The female scream heard early obviously came from the white coat women on the floor and Smokescreen connected that Kid must have tripped her beforehand.

The said red-head was currently on the other side of a circular door with the letters 'Project Kr' highlighted in neon green. The door was being kept ajar by a metal barrel wedged between the door and the frame. "Hurry!" The teenager speedster waved to his friends before heading into the unknown room.

Robin was the first to squeeze threw the gap and instantly rushed to the control panel for the door, hacking its systems as Smokescreen jumped through behind him. Taking a breath, Smokescreen's eyes scanned the room and halted in the middle just as the circular door slammed shut. She didn't both with the exchange between Robin and Aqualad, as she walked to stand next to Kid Flash, both transfixed of the dimly lit pod in the centre of the shadowed room.

“Uh, guys?” Kid Flash called to Robin and Aqualad.

“You might want to see this?” Suggested Smokescreen before Kid Flash pressed a button on a panel, presumably a system in control of the pod. The pod dim lights flashed brighter, lighting up the body inside its hold.

“Whoa” voiced Robin, coming up next to Smokescreen as Aqualad stood next to Kid Flash. All four young heroes staring at the pod in front of them.

Demetria knew she had seen her fair amount of weird, bizarre, crazy things in her lifetimes, but this could make it to the top of the list. The body in the pod looked to be a normal teenager, probably around Kid Flash or Aqualad's age. If it wasn't for the illuminating white bodysuit with a giant red _S_ on it or the fact that the teenager had the face of Superman, then he could have passed for an average teen. But he did have a massive red _S_ with a blinding white bodysuit on and he did have the face of a younger Superman, but the resemblance was uncanny.

The movement of Kid Flash brought Smokescreen- and it seems Robin and Aqualad- out of their trance of the teenager to watch their ginger-haired friend walk up to the pod and read its label.

“Big _K_ , little _r_ , the atomic symbol for krypton.” Kid Flash informed his friends of his conclusion.

“Clone of Supermans.” Theorised Smokescreen, attempting to understand what Kid Flash was implying and mentally wishing it for one of the boys to deny it.

“Robin, hack,” Aqualad ordered, to which the Boy Wonder shook himself out of his daze.

“Oh. Right, right.” Robin injected on his cables into the main control panel of the room and typed away on his holographic computer. “Weapon designation: Superboy. A clone force-grown in sixteen weeks? From DNA acquired from Superman. “

“Stolen from Superman.”

“No way the big guy knows about this.” Commented Kid Flash walking up behind the control panel.

Smokescreen grumbled a few incomprehensible words under her breath and rubbed her head temples, from the headache she could feel coming from Nustika’s rush of thoughts.

“Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun Radiation twenty-four-seven,” Robin added.

Smokescreen scanned the screen of the control pad as Aqualad pointed to it, “And these creatures?”

“Genomorph gnomes. Telepathic. Force-feeding him an education.”

“And we can guess what else.” Smoke looked up to KF speaking, “They're making a slave out of... _well_ , Superman's son.”

“Big guys not gonna like this.” Smoke added.

“Now, we contact the League,” Aqualad commented to the group. None of which gave protest, aside from Smoke’s interjection of a relieved “Thank you”, and all attempting to contact their mentors, or even better all the members of the League.

“No signal.” Kid Flash stated regarding his communications, a condition all of the members of the group were experiencing.

Smokescreen pressed the bronze diamond in the middle of her plackart to be greeted with a whisper of static in her earpiece. The mini-computer installed in her left forearm band glowed with the text ‘no signal’, highlighting the growing crease in her eyebrows as Smoke included,“'Got nothing.”

“We're in too deep, literally.”

From the back of Demetria’s consciousness, several pulsing lights lit up along with several moving towards the clustered ones outside the door. ‘Verl peouma vaijelt di’unaur, Demetria.’ Nustika whispered, confirming Demetria’s belief that her e _lua_ has released their ‘soul radar’ (Correctly called _siek_ _al_ , but the Elrashidy sisters had nicknamed the _o_ _qtais_ ’ ability to sense souls nearby as ‘soul radar’ when they couldn’t say the word properly as children). _More have arrived outside the room, Demetria._

“Guys, we’ve got company grouping outside the doors.” Smokescreen continued to watch the growing number of souls, cautious of their behaviour to open the sealed door, “Whatever we want to do, we’ve got to do it fast.”

“This is wrong.” Kid Flash voiced, studying the confidence of the tank the clone called home.

Robin piped up, “We can't leave him like this.”

Smokescreen waited on Aqaulads opinion. She watched the oldest of the group contemplate their path before raising his chin on a discussion, “Set him free.” He turned to Robin, “Do it.”

The boy wonder typed in a hurried pace, turning to the pod to life as its light brightened and the sound of clasps being unlocked greeted Smoke’s hears. The panels shifted apart and revealing the Superboy without a transparent barrier between himself and the group.

Smokescreen muttered, “This doesn’t seem smart.”

The comment was greeted with the same silence of the room, the four young heroes waiting in uncomfortable quiet, observing the rise of Superman's clone. He stayed still, frozen, despite Robin unlocking his cell _,_ on the movement of his fits clenching and clenching informed Smokescreen that the boy was conscious.

And it happened in a blink, Nustika’s yell for Demetria to morph was instinct as the Superboy snapped his eye open and leap from his pod, arms wide, a wolf leaping for its prey without remorse or any sense of mentality, aside from harm and kill.

Her shift of forms barley occurred fast enough that the clone's arm brushed through her gas body and collided directly into Aqualad. The two flipping over and Superboy slamming Aqualad into the ground, straddling him as the clone mercifully punched the Atlantian.

Kid Flash, along with Robin rushed to their friend's aid.

The boys reaching for the both of the clones' arms, attempting to shove him off their friend, “Hang on, Supey.” KF said.

“We're on your side!” Robin added. The superboy gave no inclination of stopping his rampage, as Robin and Kid Flash struggled to pull the muscular boy off of Aqualad, only succeeding on restraining his movements. Kid Flash managing to hold up the Superboys arm before the clone pulled it out of his the speeders grip and punching Kid. The sheer force of the hit shoved Kid Flash and across the room and smashing into a glass tube, Smokescreen caught his body lying still as she went to de-morph and assist.

“Heads up!” Smokescreen called out, throwing a smoke bomb into the face of the clone, who swatted away at the gas. As the clone had released his grip on Aqualad, the Atlantian kicked the Superboy hard in the chest, shoving him away and into the control panel of the pod.

Robin ejected a pair of power-wires from his glove at the clone as he regained his stance. The wires striking the Superboy directly in the chest before an electric shock pulse down the wires and into the Superboy. Who didn’t react. To the electric shock. ‘ _Fuck_ _i_ _nvulnerability_ _.’_

The clone released a howl and gripped the wires to pull Robin towards him. The contrast of strengths in the tug-of-war lasted a second as Robin went hurtling into the Superboy, who punched the Boy Wonder to the floor and laid onto him.

“Enough!” Called Aqualad, forming a hammer from his water-bearers and ramming the heads into the Superboys chest, throwing the clone into the backboard of his chamber tank. Aqualad crouched next to Robin, joined by Smokescreen who aided intending to their friend.

“Rob?” Smoke mumbled, eyeing the bruising on her friends face and trickling blood from broken skin by the Superboys rock punches. Smokescreen and Aqualad watched Robin stagger upwards, uttering a few groans before collapsing to the fall. The last two conscious young heroes made eye contact, sharing emotions of nerve before breaking away to the approaching enemy.

“Smoke, check Kid,” Aqualad instruct in a whisper and stood, facing against the Superboy, “We are trying to help you.”

The clone’s face remained blank before repeating his actions and leap towards the two young heroes. And as before, Smoke morphed, obscuring the clones vision, embers singeing his skin as she flew past his head. The distraction would provide leverage for her friend.

Smoke materialised next to the body of her speedy friend. “Kid, hey Kid!” Smoke rushed, gripping the boy's shoulders with urgency and checking for injuries. Blood wept from glass cuts across the boy's skin and cloth from where he had crashed into the tube.

She pushed Kid up to lean against the tube and shook the boy, “Come on, Kid.” Her friend gave a groan and a flutter of eye movement, but the slump of his head had Smokescreen cursing under her breath. She was hoping Kid Flash’s accelerated healing would kick in. As she was aware of the boy's ability from the time the pair had fought alongside in Goldlyn and Smoke witness Kid be thrown threw a window and came back swinging not long after. Though, Smoke doubted Cerberus had the same strength as a clone of Superman.

Smokescreen’s shaking off her friend halted from the silence in the room and edged her vision beyond the barrier of the broken tube. Aqualad lay, not moving, on the ground close to Robins motionless form. The ground around her aquatic friend contained earth chunks and Smokescreen’s gaze followed up the chipped ceiling of the earth. And the Superboy’s stoic form turned away from her fellow proteges to meet her stoic expression.

Allies down, to far underground to call for assistance, the mad dog of Superman readying to leave her like the rest of her group and more backup for the clone about to unlock the door. _‘Fuck it._ ’

With a savage shout, the clone charged, flew… leapt at her and Smokescreen dodged the assault in a role, covering her body in a cloud of gold smoke intertwining in the grey tendrils. She halted her role in a crouch, the smoke evaporating and her appearance changed to present her mask now expanded around her head forming a helmet, gauntlets covered her hands and her brass coloured plackart extended over the chest and shoulders.

“Dance with me, bud.” Smokescreen murmured as the Superboy leapt once more, arms raised into an attempt to pummel her. Smoke morphed to gas, the clone’s fists passing through her body. He swirled around to attack, only to whip back from Smokescreen landing a solid punch on the boy's cheek, embers imprinting on the skin. Her round-house kick landed on his abdomen, that did not end with her desired intention.

Superboy latched onto her legging-clad leg, whirled around with such force Smokescreen didn’t even register her body flying across the lab before her back impacted with the concert floor. The materialised armour provided protection for her body on impact and Smokescreen flipped up to avoid another strike towards her. Smokescreen titled her eyes to the stalking clone and stood with reassured arms and legs, awaiting for the incoming attack.

Not expecting it come from behind.

A body charged itself into her own, ramming her forward with a rapid growl that Smoke recognised from the genetically grown monkey-like creatures.

_The door was open._

Smokescreen formed her _k_ _huae,_ preparing to strike the creature with her _m_ _akaripi’s_ blade but a striking pain shot through her mind like lighting to water. She screamed. A scream that carried with her as she clutched her sizzling head and fell to her knees. Her _makarapi_ clattering to the ground and vanishing in tendrils of smoke. Similarly, the manifested armour shifted between its physical form and the gas it originated from.

‘NUSTIKA?!’ Demetria called out to her _e_ _lua_ , but received no response, the telepathy torturer caging her link to the entity.

Another scream ripped past her mouth and before the boot of the Superboy slammed against her head, her final words, “Anka sil clilaus” whispered. And as her eyes closed, armour vanishing, the impact of the force shut her wailing mind off. A silver radiance coiled her fallen body before vanishing into a transparent shield.

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For anyone that wants a reference to Smokescreen regular outfit, I whipped this up. Everything aside from the base of her form is mine. Clothes, hair, face markings, extra. As time goes on, I'll make more for my other OC's and more outfits that Smokescreen wears (Stealth, winter, civies, armour). And for future reference, when I write about a computer system in her forearm band, I'm talking about the blue one on **her** **left** arm.


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